Magic Kisses
by Fading Butterfly Wings
Summary: PM64, partner-related. Bow hosts a dance at her mansion, causing all sorts of drama for those invited. A cute multichapter fic about friends, more-than-friends, and just growing up in general.
1. Surprise Invitation

**Hola, fellow Mario fans! First off, allow me to introduce myself. I am Butterfly, avid Paper Mario fanatic since 2001. :) Please don't expect anything grand or epic to come out of this fic, this is really just a side project I'm doing for fun... and because I adore the Paper Mario partners with a burning passion that has engulfed my soul.**

***Ahem* Sorry about that. ^^" Anyway, I apologize immensely about the slight OOC-ness, but keep in mind this story is supposed to take place a few years after the original story ended so the characters have matured a tad. :) I sincerely hope you enjoy it, and constructive feedback is always appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Paper Mario nor any of its characters or other trademarks.**

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><p>"Goombario, the mail's here! And it's for you!"<p>

I prance into the living room, clutching a letter in between my teeth. (Hey, when you're born without hands, you gotta learn to improvise.) When Goombario doesn't respond from his spot on the couch, I take a closer look at the envelope and let out an impressed whistle. "Wow, it must be from someone important- the address is written in cursive and they put 'Mister' before your name."

My brother finally acknowledges my presence with a grunt, his eyes never leaving the television screen. He insists on watching the news twenty-four-seven because he wants to be "in the know about what's going on in the Mushroom Kingdom," but personally I just think he likes seeing the pretty weather girl.

I wait a few more seconds, and finally he turns, a pleading look in his eyes. "Open it for me, will ya sis?"

I roll my eyes. "Lazy pants," I mutter under my breath, but my curiosity gets the best of me and I tear the envelope open. After quickly scanning its contents, my eyes light up with excitement.

"Ohmistars, Goombario, you got invited to a _dance!_" I squeal.

He nearly falls off the couch in shock. "Whowhatwhenwherewhy_HOW_?" he cries, scrambling to my side so he can see for himself. "A _dance_?"

His stunned expression is priceless, and I decide now is the perfect opportunity to go all "pesky little sister" on him. "Yeah, you know Goombario, a _dance_," I draw the last word out for emphasis. "Where you, you know, _slow_ _dance_ and stuff_._ With _girls._"

He gets that dopey look on his face, the one that always appears whenever the opposite sex is mentioned. Gulping, he stutters, "W-what girls?"

"Oh, you know, the usual." I shrug and begin to rattle off names. "Bow, Sushi, Watt, Bombette_..._"

Bingo. Goombario's mouth drops open and his tongue lolls out like he's in the presence of Princess Peach or something. "Bombette's gonna be there? How do you know?"

"Well, it _is_ a partner reunion, so I'm assuming she's gonna show up with the rest of your friends."

Finally Goombario's senses catch up with him. "Wait a second! Let me see that letter." Before I can respond he snatches it from my grasp and reads it for himself.

_You've been cordially invited to_

_**~Lady Bow's 17th Birthday Dance/ Annual Partner Reunion~**_

_Hello, friends! I figured since we do one of these reunion thingies every year, why not make this one on the birthday of yours truly? ;) Your presence is my gift! The memories you take home from this night will haunt you forever... literally!_

_~Bow_

_P.S. Dates are a **must**, so best of luck finding one before tomorrow! Teehee!_

_P.P.S. Bootler says: The men **must** ask the ladies! If I find out otherwise, there will be consequences... **ETERNAL** ones._

_(Ugh, sorry 'bout that guys... He's so old-fashioned sometimes.)_

Goombario's eyes nearly pop out of his head. _"Tomorrow?"_ he squeaks. "I only have a _day _to find a date? This is nuts!"

I peer over his shoulder at the invitation. "Wow, would you look at _that_!" I exclaim in mock surprise. "So who are _you_ gonna take?"

He glares at me and hides his eyes under his ratty blue baseball cap. "Why should I tell you?" he mutters darkly.

"Well, I'll take that answer to mean that you don't know who you want to take, so I'll narrow your options down for you then," I say dryly. "Obviously I'm not one of them for various reasons, the number one being: _'Uhm,** EW**?'"_ I stick my tongue out in disgust, then continue. "Cousin Goombella's on an archaeological expedition in Dry Dry Desert with what's-his-name, so she's out. Mama won't step foot near Forever Forest, much less Boo Mansion, and same with Gooma, so they're both out too. Uh-oh... looks like you're gonna have to go with someone _unrelated_ to you for once."

You know those bright red turrets Peach has on the top of her castle? Yeah, well those are comparable to what the color of my brother's cheeks were at that moment. "Of course I'm not gonna ask someone _related _to me to go, you dummy!" he sputters angrily. "If you must know, I have someone else in mind!"

I grin evilly. My dastardly plan is working perfectly. "Oh, really? If so, then tell me this, Goom_romeo_- who is it and how do you plan on asking her?"

He wets his lips and looks away. "That part... I'm still figuring out."

He goes off to mope in his bedroom, and I roll my eyes and make my way over to our telephone. After a few minutes of intense concentration, I give up on remembering my boyfriend's number and resort to asking my grandmother. There's a lot that she lacks in memory-wise, but she's always had a knack for remembering telephone numbers and she never makes fun of me for it like Mama does.

After Gooma recites the number to me along with a kind suggestion to start writing things down, I dial the buttons (y_es,_ with my tongue) and wait while the phone rings on the other end. Finally I'm greeted with a sleepy-sounding "Hello?"

"Hiya, Kooper!" I exclaim cheerfully. "It's Goombaria. Listen, my brother needs help with something. Did you get the invite to Bow's party today?"

"Yeah! Sounds like it's gonna be a blast!" He pauses. "Oh, uh, speaking of which... I mean, I figure it's kind of implied, since you know, we're together and all, but, uh, I was wondering..."

"Yes sweetie, I'll be your date to the dance," I interrupt him, a little impatiently. My boyfriend's a professional when it comes to beating around the bush.

"Awesome." I can hear the relief in Kooper's voice, and it makes me grin. He's such a cutie pie. "So what does Goombario need help with?"

I come right out with it. "Well, you see, he's had this little tiny baby crush on Bombette since the day they met, and I can tell he wants to ask her to the dance tomorrow night. But you know how my brother is with girls..." I cringe as I remember the Petal Meadows incident. That poor, poor Dayzee. "...so I figured you could help him with the whole asking part. You are the most romantic guy I know, after all." Memories of our one-year anniversary picnic lunch on Shooting Star summit flash through my mind, and I giggle involuntarily.

Kooper whispers something to himself on the other end. It sounds like _"I knew he liked her!",_ but I could be mistaken. His triumphant tone quickly changes to one of complete seriousness. "Listen Goombaria, I have to go now to help my neighbor out with a Fuzzy problem he's been having. Meet me outside of Toad Town at two and we'll talk about it then, okay?"

"Sounds good," I reply. "Love you, babe."

"I love you too!"

I hang up the phone and smile to myself. Hey, what can I say? I am a girl after all. And seeing as I'm dating my brother's best friend, it only seems natural that he should date mine. He just needs a little extra push, that's all. And I have no problem with giving that to him...

...or recruiting a little help along the way.


	2. Damsels in Distress

**Hello again, fellow Paper Mario fans! I want to take the time now to thank everyone who read and reviewed the first chapter of this story; I truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. It's good to know there are other people out there who share the same love for partner shipping x3 As stated in the first chapter, I really only started this story to get the creative juices flowing, but with so much positive feedback who knows? Maybe it'll become something bigger than I had originally planned. :)**

**Read This! Just an FYI, since the narrator of the story is gonna be switching pretty regularly, I decided to include a little heads-up ("{Character Name Here}'s POV") whenever it does to avoid any confusion. ^^ Also, for those of you that plan on keeping up with this story, I'm (tentatively) aiming to update it every week or so. Now without further adieu, I present to you Chapter 2! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Paper Mario or any of the characters/places mentioned in this chapter, nor do I own the following quote, which was the inspiration for the story's title. :)**

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><p>"<em>Growing up sucks. Not all kisses are magic, and most boys do not live up to your expectations, but there are those times when everything- love, romance, relationships- it all falls together perfectly and it's incredible."<em>

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><p><strong>Bombette's POV<strong>

Dear Journal,

Sometimes when I walk by a mirror and catch a glimpse of my own reflection out of the corner of my eye, it takes all my self-control not to explode. It's just so very, very... _pink_.

Now mind you, I have no problem with being pink. It sets me apart from the rest of the dull green Bob-ombs in my village and makes me feel sort of special, like I'm important enough to have my own color. But to be honest, sometimes I think life would be a whole heck of a lot easier if I could just blend in with the crowd.

Let's take my good friend Bruce for example. He's the macho hot-shot of the village who has liked me since the day he laid eyes on me (excuse me while I GAG), and he hasn't quit trying to make me fall for him since then. And why do you think that is? Because he was instantly captivated by my bubbly personality, charming wit and optimistic outlook on life?

...Oh please, you make me laugh. It's because I'm PINK. What other reason would there be? For crying out loud, I barely know the guy. Yet despite the number of times I've begged, pleaded, cried, and LITERALLY BLOWN UP AT HIM TO GET HIM TO LEAVE ME ALONE, he insists on bombarding me daily with ridiculous pick-up lines and meaningless trinkets of his affection. Why? To impress his buddies into thinking that the "cute pink Bob-omb girl" gives him special attention, when really she's just a short fuse away from doing something she knows she'll regret in the aftermath.

Being pink has other downsides as well. I'm so sick of being stereotyped as a damsel in distress it's not even funny. Grandmother once told me that pink represents purity, delicacy, and the innocence of childhood. That's all well and good, but who are we kidding here? I'm the exact opposite of ALL those things, especially the delicacy one. I was always known by my classmates as "that girl you don't wanna mess with on the playground." When the going gets tough, I stand my ground. Unlike a certain pink-clad, blonde-haired female I know, I don't turn the other cheek and wait for some hero in a red cap and blue overalls to come swooping in and save me from the enemy's dungeon. (Okay, so that actually _did_ happen once, but if you had given me more time I'm sure I would've found my way out of there eventually.)

All this to say, I'm not sure how I feel about all this buzz going around about me and Goombario being a couple. Yeah, sure, he's a nice kid, not to mention smart, sweet, caring, thoughtful, brave, the list could go on... but I just don't know if I'm ready to let go of my independence yet. I mean, isn't that what happens when you get a boyfriend? Isn't he supposed to be your knight in shining armor or whatever? (Honestly, I think Goombario would look a little goofy in one of those silly feather hats anyway.) If Goombario becomes mine, or rather, the opposite way around, will people stop thinking I can take care of myself? Will _I_ stop thinking I can take care of myself? No offense, but I don't think I want to become another Princess Peach.

...Plus, what if he only likes me for my color?

**Goombaria's POV**

I stare longingly at the patch of daisies before me, then take a big whiff followed by a melancholy sigh. One of the most crippling things about not having hands has got to be not being able to pick flowers. I mean sure, you can do the whole plucking them out of the ground with your teeth thing, but this usually results in odd looks from strangers and a less-than-pleasant grassy aftertaste.

It's been almost half an hour since I arrived at the place I agreed to meet Kooper at and, as usual, I'm still waiting for him to show up. So, I do what any girl does when she gets bored: I daydream. Picturing myself in the modestly cut sunset orange dress my mother picked out for me in a catalog that conveniently came in the mail along with the invitation (It compliments my trademark bow perfectly!), I picture my boyfriend linking his arm around me and escorting me through Forever Forest, fighting off whatever danger sprouts up (literally; those Piranha Plants are _vicious_!) along the way without even flinching.

I sigh again, indulging in the girlish habit of mine that drives Goombario insane. While the idea of dangling from a thinly frayed rope over a pool of lava as a bad guy laughs obnoxiously in the background has never quite appealed to me, I'll admit the whole "damsel in distress" concept has. I envy Peach for the amount of times she gets to be rescued from Bowser's clutches by the love of her life, Mario. I'm no wimp, but I've never been one to complain about a knight in shining armor. It's, albeit, downright _sexy._ Especially when that knight happens to be a blue-shelled red-ascot-wearing hunk of Koopa.

Right on cue my hero shows up toting a picnic basket stuffed to the brim, as well as a bashful grin. "Sorry it took me so long," he apologizes, scooping me into the air and planting a kiss on my cheek. I squirm in his arms, and he quickly lets me back down. He knows I'm not a fan of public displays of affection, and you can't get much more public than a flower field outside of Toad Town.

Kooper coughs nervously as I rub his saliva from my cheek with a nearby leaf. "Sorry about that sweetie. You're just so cute I get carried away sometimes."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, shut up and let's eat lunch already. I'm starving."

At the mention of food, Koops grins devilishly. "You're never gonna guess what I brought for us."

I usually try not to let my rather unladylike appetite get the best of me, but the unmistakable scent of Shroom Steak is killing me. "I get first dibs!" I squeal, practically diving into the basket as my boyfriend laughs.

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><p>Another half an hour passes and finds us lying side-by-side admiring the clouds with full tummies and drooping eyelids. I let out yet another sigh, this one of content. "Okay. Now that that's done, let's get down to business, shall we?"<p>

Kooper rolls over on his side and gives me a dopey look. "What business?" he yawns, lazily patting his hand over his mouth.

I roll my eyes at his forgetfulness. "The whole reason we met here in the first place, silly Koopa."

"Oh. Yeah." Kooper sighs and rolls on his back again. "I really don't understand what the big deal is, Goombaria. All your brother has to do is ask Bombette to go with him. I almost guarantee you she'll say yes, and that'll be the end of it."

I shake my head. Boys just don't understand sometimes. "It's not like that, Kooper. My brother is... look. Let's face it. He's socially awkward, especially around girls. Knowing him, he'll probably end up making himself look like a fool and she'll go with him out of pity. He needs to impress her and make her actually _want_ to go with him."

Kooper crosses his eyes in irritation. "Females are complicated," he mutters.

"Hey." I nudge him. "I think what you mean is 'females are unmistakably superior in the knowledge of emotional-related affairs.'"

Kooper chuckles. "Yeah, that's it." He turns to face me again, his eyes suddenly transformed from a "not a care in the world" turquoise to a deep, intense "I want to know everything that's going through your mind right now" indigo.

It freaks me out.

"What?" I ask, a little self-consciously. "Is there a bug on my bow? Something on my face? An enemy hiding nearby? _Tell me_!"

"Do you remember when we first met?"

"Oh, please, Kooper..." I groan. I absolutely _hate_ when my boyfriend starts reminiscing, because in usually ends with him cooing over me like he's the proud father of a two-year-old.

Sure enough... "I thought you were the darndest, most adorable little Goomba I ever laid eyes on. In a little kid sort of way." He tickles my stomach, and I pull away, annoyed at him for changing the subject.

"Who are you calling a little kid?" I demand with narrowed eyes.

"Calm down, sweetie. Why must you always be so defensive?" He reaches for my stomach again, and this time I jump to my feet and bare my teeth at him.

"Don't _make_ me headbonk you." This is a threat that I've followed through on more than once.

"Bring it on, little girl," Kooper challenges, a mischievous smile spreading across his face.

And here's where being a little sister has its advantages. Launching myself gracefully into the air, I close my eyes and tilt my body downwards, concentrating on keeping my feet tucked in. A few seconds later my head lands on something soft and I hear a surprised "Oomph!" followed by a cry of pain.

Satisfied with hitting my target, I bounce into the grass several yards away and roll gracefully to my feet, then take a mock bow before an invisible audience. Looking back, I grin in triumph when I see my boyfriend clutching his stomach with a pained expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, which of us is the little girl here again?" I ask innocently.

Before I can utter another syllable a blue shell comes spinning towards me, knocking into me with such force that it sends me sprawling into a tall patch of lilies.

I leap to my feet, but before I can retaliate Kooper tackles me to the ground, then retreats back into his shell.

"Kooper!" I gasp beneath the crushing weight of my boyfriend. "Get OUT here and fight like a man!"

For a few minutes I struggle to throw him off of me, cursing the lack of arms that prevents me from doing so. Finally I lie back in defeat. "You really gotta start laying off of the Honey Shrooms, babe," I mutter grumpily.

Suddenly Kooper's head and limbs reappear and he pushes his body off of me. But before I can attempt to escape he places his hands on both sides of me so that I'm pinned to the ground beneath him. His ragged breath is hot on my face, and his now ocean blue eyes hold me in a hypnotic sort of gaze that I can't bring myself to break.

"Gotcha," he whispers, and begins to kiss me.

I'm about to protest, but then I realize that the flowers we're lying in conceal us from sight and I allow myself to yield to his desires this one time. As our lips move in a synchronized dance like that of the lilies surrounding us, a single blissful thought echoes in my mind.

_Darn it, I've been captured again._


	3. Dudes in Distress

**Hey readers, sorry this took so long! There's really not much for me to say about this chapter except that I love making Spike sound like a total toolbag and my past disclaimers still stand true. Peace out, and leave a review if you're cool! ;)**

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><p><strong>Goombario's POV<strong>

_Dude, have you really resorted to this just__ you wanna impress some girl? Isn't there a better way that _won't _destroy what little dignity you have?_

Ignoring the voice in my head that warns me against what I'm about to do, I check to make sure that the coast is clear and then duck behind the bulletin board outside of Merlin's house. As I lean against it, panting, the voice returns, this time more urgent.

_Come on man, think about this. What would Goombaria think if she knew?_

I quickly shake the thought out of my head. When has my little sister's opinion ever mattered to me, anyway? If my life was in her hands (metaphorically speaking) …well, I won't dwell on that thought.

I turn my attention to the bulletin board looming above me and am greeted with an assortment of vulgar words and romantic confessions. I grip my pencil in between my chattering teeth and carefully scrawl my desperate plea among them.

**Look, I got invited to a dance tomorrow night and I need help asking this girl I like...**

Mortified, I quickly scribble out the word "like" and replace it with "know." I can practically hear Goombaria laughing in my ear. "You're such an idiot," she would say with an obnoxious smirk on her face. "Just tell her how you feel and get over it."

_Oh, kind of like what you did with my best friend?_ my mind mutters bitterly. I immediately berate myself for the thought. I'm happy for Goombaria, I really am, but sometimes the way she gets all googly-eyed whenever I mention Kooper's name is a tad bit annoying, not to mention awkward. The truth is, I sort of envy the way she has no trouble whatsoever expressing her feelings and the way things just always seem to work out for her... not that she'll ever know that, of course. Knowing my sister, she's probably off with Kooper now, plotting a way to "help" me express myfeelings for Bombette.

Bombette. My stomach twists into knots just thinking about her. While I've never really been the hopeless romantic type, there's just something about that girl that makes my heart race whenever I think about her. Small, pink and dangerous are the three best words I can think of to describe her, not to mention clever. It was her quick thinking and explosive temper that got us out of the dungeon in Koopa Fortress.

To most people Bombette may seem like nothing more than a spunky firecracker, but she also has a soft side that not many have gotten to witness. I'm one of the few that she's ever been vulnerable with, back when our adventure first started and Mario was seriously injured after taking a nasty fall from one of Mt. Rugged's many cliffs. After making sure Mario got safely to the inn in Fahr Fahr Outpost, our troupe (which consisted then of only me, Bombette, Kooper and Parakarry) took a break in the nearby oasis. After scarfing down five ripe limes, I noticed Bombette crying by the water hole. I approached her carefully and tentatively asked if she was alright, and she suddenly broke down and in between her sobs confessed to me that she hated feeling helpless because it reminded her of the night her parents died and she wasn't able to do anything about it. After a few minutes of awkward silence she finally calmed down and accepted the lime I offered her, and we returned to the rest of the group like nothing happened.

That was the first and only time I've ever seen Bombette cry. I think that memory still frightens her, because after that episode she made sure to keep all of the partners at arm's length, me in particular. Even after suffering a minor concussion from a blow to the head by Bowser during our final battle, she still kept a brave face on. Part of me admires her for it, but part of me is also bothered by the fact that she refuses to show any sign of weakness.

Gah, too much thinking. I resume writing my message.

**Yeah, so I wanna be creative and romantic and all that, but I'm not really good at that sort of stuff. Advice, anyone? ~G**

I finish and survey my work with a strange sort of hope as well as a terrible sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. _Well, there's no turning back now, _the voice sighs._ You've officially made your mark on Toad Town's Graffiti Corner along with the other desperate losers of society. Congratulations, big boy._

"Aw, shut up," I mumble aloud. Ignoring the stares from strangers that my outburst has earned me, I casually stroll from behind the bulletin board and make my way towards Toad Town's south side, pondering over the recent events that have taken place in my life.

I pause to watch a local Toad girl caring for her flowers. After dousing the soil around them with water, she coos and strokes the flowers' petals like they're delicate newborns and begins humming a lullaby-like tune.

The thought of Bombette ever owning a garden, much less talking to its inhabitants, causes me to chuckle. I immediately regret it when the girl's cheeks turn the same shade of red as her roses, and I hurriedly make my way back to the Graffitti Corner before she can turn around. I'm surprised when I arrive to find that someone has already replied to my message.

**Hey G, I'm in the same cloud as you and I've got a pretty good idea of who I'm talking to. Meet me by the pier when you see this, that cool with you broski? If not, come anyway, punk. ~S**

My mouth goes dry and my heart leaps into my throat. That lazily zigzagged initial is all too familiar. But it can't... it can't be _him_, can it?

_Way to go, pal. Genius move there, making your pathetic-ness public to all of Toad Town. I hope you're proud of yourself. _The voice continues to mock me as I slowly make my way towards the pier, dread building in my gut with every step I the correspondent is who I think it is, then the shame I know I'll face when he sees me is unbearable to imagine, but as the voice said earlier, _there's no turning back now._

It's nearly impossible to hear myself think above the commotion surrounding the pier. Crying babies, chattering tourists and cursing sailors swarm about, bumping into each other and forgetting to apologize in their rush to buy tickets for the Big Blue Whale Express. Ever since Mario's return from LavaLava island and the discovery of a new vacation spot, the popularity of Toad Town's wharf had skyrocketed. Maybe that's why whoever responded to my message chose this place to meet- it's easy to get lost in the crowd and two guys consulting each other for advice concerning their love interests won't seem so unusual compared to some of the other wacky stuff that goes on around here.

"Goombario!"

I turn at the sound of my name and am immediately enveloped in what feels like a giant wad of damp cotton candy.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down there Puffy, we don't wanna suffocate our love guru." I groan inwardly. The muffled voice is unmistakable. It really is him.

Puffy the cloud releases me from his affectionate embrace and my cheeks flare up with embarrassment when I'm met with a pair of familiar black shades and cocky grin. "Uh... hey Spike," I mumble, wishing I could evaporate into thin air like the raindrops from his cloud.

The grin on Lakilester's face widens and he wallops me painfully on the back. "How's it goin' bro?" he exclaims. Surprisingly I don't detect any sign of false enthusiasm from him.

"Pretty good," I reply guardedly, wondering if I'm being led on. Maybe I'm on some sort of reality prank show and a camera-toting Lakitu will show up any minute now to expose my pathetic-ness to the entire Mushroom Kingdom.

Lakilester's smile disappears, and for the first time I can remember the look on his face is one of gloom. "Hey man, I'm just gonna cut to the chase. Word on the street is you're having girl troubles too, am I right?"

"Uh... too?" I repeat dumbly. Did I just hear him right?

"Yeah I know, hard to believe right? I mean, you wouldn't think that a guy like me would have any trouble with the ladies." Lakilester winked under his sunglasses. "Haha, just messing with you bro."

Somehow I doubted that, but I let him go on without interruption for fear that he would lose his train of thought in that slightly swollen head of his.

Lakilester suddenly switches the focus to me. "So anyway, who's this little lass you're tryna woo, huh? Don't tell me you're still goin' after that pink Bob-omb girl... Bombaria, right?"

"Bom_bette,"_ I correct him, a little too much sharpness in my voice.

"Right, sorry 'bout that bro," Lakilester says, brushing aside my correction like it's a Winged Buzzy. "Anyway, me and my girl Lulu are still goin' strong, but knowing her, she'll probably spaz out and strike me with lightning or something if I don't treat this whole askin'-her-to-the-dance thing like it's a proposal or something, so I gotta make sure it's special. You know what I'm sayin'?"

I'm speechless. Lakilester, however, is undaunted by my lack of verbal response.

"Yeah so, I was thinkin' that me and you could do a little brainstormin', toss some ideas around, and come up with a bangin' way to ask our girls to this shindig. Whaddya say, pal? Are we in this together?"

I nod numbly. This is too much for me to take in at once. Lakilester, the self-proclaimed _god_ of good lucks and charisma, is actually asking for _my _help with females? There's got to be some kind of mistake. I shrug helplessly at the look of anticipation on his face. "Where do we start?"

Lakilester sighs and plops his glum-looking cloud on the ground beside me, then props his chin against his fist. "I say we start with some serious thinking. Unfortunately, that's not something I do a whole lot of." He guffaws at himself. "Only joking, bro."

Oh how I wish.

**Parakarry's POV**

_Dear Journal,_

_Have I ever told you how much I love my job? I mean, seriously, what other job lets you travel to exotic lands just to hand someone a flimsy envelope and actually PAYS you for it? Not gonna lie, it's pretty flippin' awesome._

_However, being the Mushroom Kingdom's only postal serviceman does have its downfalls, and one of them is the fact that I have to deliver EVERYWHERE, no matter how long or treacherous the journey to certain places may be. More than once I've returned from Shiver City with frostbite, Fahr Fahr Outpost with intense sun poisoning, Flower Fields with a severe case of allergies... the list goes on._

_But I have to say, the trip to Boo Mansion definitely takes the cake._

_First of all there's the Forever Forest, which is like a giant maze that's grossly populated by blood-sucking Fuzzies and flesh-eating Pirahna Plants. That trip alone takes me a good two or three days to get through, and seldom do I come out of it without quite a few battle wounds._

_While the atmosphere may seem safer, it certainly doesn't get any less creepy around Boo Mansion. In fact, I would even dare to say it becomes more so. Just the sight of the ancient castle-like house gives me goosebumps, and there's always some sort of bone-chilling howling or moaning coming from the surrounding trees. Even the wind has a menacing whisper to it that sends shivers throughout my shell._

_And don't even get me started on the mansion's _inhabitants_. Boos are, in my opinion, the worst sort of creatures that has ever existed. Nasty, mischievous ghosts that seize every opportunity they can find to scare the living crap out of you, and considering the fact that they possess ginormous tongues and razor-like teeth they almost always succeed. I try to avoid eye contact as best I can when delivering their mail to them, which of course I have to do personally since they can't open their mailbox. Who in their right mind sends _letters_ to these terrifying little devils __is what I want to know._

_...Oh right, that's me._

_B-but see, I don't count! Lady Bow, she's... she's _different_. She's mature, and cute, and dignified, and cute, and respectful, and lovely, and cute… and did I mention that she's cute?_

_So yes, she is an exception my anti-Boo rule. Although I _was_ a little wary of her when I first met her, what with the whole holding the fourth Star Spirit captive until we defeated Tubba Blubba thing, her manipulatively adorable ways soon grew on me, and my awkward bumbling ones on her. Since our adventuring days with Mario the two of us have continued to maintain a pretty regular correspondence, and while nothing's official, I think it's fairly safe to say that we're considered a couple by most of our friends. Which of course, I don't mind in the least. However, there is one drawback to our relationship, and that is..._

_..._Bootler_._

_Bootler's this really old Boo that's like a grandfather to Bow. He's constantly nagging her about how she needs to stop "neglecting her duties to her people" (for crying out loud, what is she, a PRINCESS? Well yes, in my eyes she is, but that's beside the point) and treating her like she's a child or, in Bow's words, "like she just recently died." I don't know how in the Mushroom Kingdom she puts up with him. And for some reason he's dead (haha, Boo pun) set against our relationship. My theory for this is A) he thinks that our relationship is "distracting" Bow from her "duties", or B) he has something against the living. Bow on the other hand thinks he's just grumpy because it's been five hundred years and he still hasn't been able to find a soulmate (literally). Which, of course, is none of _my_ business._

_But _here's_ where it becomes problematic: Bow, being the old-fashioned woman she is, insists that I get Bootler's permission before asking her to the dance._

_...Uh, what?_

_Doesn't she know how _terrified_ I am of that guy? Okay, I'll admit it, the way I described him earlier made him sound pretty pathetic. But to be honest, he scares me. Those shifty little eyes, that perfectly parted hairdo, that manner so reserved it's menacing... it gives me the creeps. I can handle Lady Bow's occasional childlike tantrums. What I _can't_ handle is that guy staring me down whenever I get within ten feet of her as though challenging me to take one wingflap further. Bow won't admit it, but I know he's got it out for me._

_And yet I _still_ have to ask this guy face-to-face if I can go with my unofficial girlfriend to her own dance. If not, she'll refuse to go with me. But if I ask and he says _no,_ then that's the end of that._

_What's a poor postman to do?_


	4. All the Single Ladies

**I apologize for the shortness and seemingly pointlessness of this chapter, but I _promise_ they'll start getting better _and_ longer now that all the party members have been introduced :) I may be wrong, but I believe this may be one of the first Mario fics to incorporate Sushi as a main character, and I believe the same is true for Watt. Woot for the underdogs! :D**

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><p><em>Dear Journal,<em>

_This may sound like an utterly preposterous question to you, and if it does, then good, because I feel the same way. And yet, I can't help but wonder..._

_Do you think there's still hope for me to find my one true love? __I know, I know, it's cliché and silly and I have much more important things to worry about, but the feisty teenage girl that still exists beneath these battered gills has to come out of hiding every once in a while._

_Maybe I should just accept my fate: I'm going to die an old, single, cranky codfish whose sole purpose in life is to scold and chase around the youngsters of the village I inhabit. After all, I've already experienced an adventure quite unlike most others my age and even many of those below it can say they have. My scales still tingle with pride whenever I receive a letter in the mail addressed to a_ Miss Sushi Salmon, Mario Party Alumni_..._ _which is, I suppose, the exact event which brought me to this journal in undignified tears._

_You see, my dear friend and heiress of Boo Mansion, Lady Bow, invited I and the rest of Mario's former party members to a formal dinner dance at her residence tomorrow night. Obviously it's intended for couples; Bootler even made sure to inform all those invited that men are to ask the ladies and not the other way around and promised drastic consequences to all that disobey that rule. Yikes, that old Boo scares even _me _sometimes._

_So here I am, whining to my journal about how wretched life is as a fifty year old fish who hasn't been on a date in almost half that time. Come on Sushi, get a hold of yourself. When has being single ever bothered you in the past? Sure, it hurt a little when that devilishly attractive brute Kevin__ dumped you for that cunning little eel lass, but he ended up being bad news anyway, so you certainly have no regrets from _that _relationship. And sure, that fling with the village leader was fun while it lasted, but was it really going to go anywhere? He had an entire colony of Yoshis to look after; he couldn't spend all his time wooing some lonely fish girl that got lost on her way to the mainland. And let's not even get started on that whole Raphael the Raven phase. So... many... _feathers_..._

_All that to say is I'm happy with where I am in life, I truly am. I have a wonderful home in a village full of friendly people on a beautiful island, and despite how often I complain about it, I really do enjoy my job as a babysitter. After all, if it wasn't for those mischeivous little tikes, where would all the adventure in my life be?_

_However, I'm still faced with the dilemma of finding a date for tomorrow night. I suppose I _could_ always go to the dance as a self-proclaimed chaperone, but where in the Mushroom Kingdom is the fun in that? Aren't I allowed to just be one of the kids again every once in a while? Is it so wrong for me to desire someone that will hold me close and whisper in my ear and make me blush and giggle like I used to? Maybe I'm wrong, but I see no harm in surrendering to my hormonal whims every once in a while… do you?_

_Well, I'd better go, the red Yoshi got cornered by an angry Pirahna Plant again and the yellow Yoshi is trying to stick something up his nose that doesn't belong there. Adios, my friend. Wish me luck._

_~Sushi_

**Watt's POV**

Being a Sparky isn't an easy task. Sure, there are plenty of upsides to it, like the fact that you never have to face your fear of the dark. And don't get me wrong, electrocution _does_ make for a great defense technique. But I think people forget sometimes that we're not just floating balls of light available for anyone's use. We have feelings too.

Don't get me wrong, not everyone is the same way. I'll never forget the day Mario rescued me from that mean old ghosty guy that kidnapped me and kept me locked up in his lantern for almost two years. Lemme tell ya, that got old _real_ fast, plus the ghost smelled like old cabbage. Yuck. I'm eternally grateful to Mario and the rest of his gang for my freedom.

_But_, unfortunately, not everyone's like Mario. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people take advantage of me, which is exactly what's been happening non-stop ever since I returned from my adventure. I guess people just figure that now that I'm no longer fighting off Bowser's minions I have nothing better to do than to be a temporary replacement for their light bulbs. Mind you, the word temporary is very, _very _flexible. I was once stuck in a fluorescent light panel for an entire month because the shopkeeper didn't think I would mind if he took a short vacation while I was on duty. I mean, how insensitive can you get? Don't worry, I made sure to give him an extra shocking greeting when he finally returned.

The worst part about all this is that I've had almost no time to visit the friends I made during Mario's adventure. The last time I saw one was almost three months ago, and that was only because her neighbor Bruce happened to be using me as a disco ball at one of his parties. I'll never forget the look on her face when she saw me hanging from his ceiling, nor will I forget the explosive argument that commenced afterwards on my behalf. (I have to admit, it _was_ pretty entertaining to watch Bombette turn a deeper shade of red than I thought possible and to see arrogant Bruce go from that ugly blue color to completely white with fear. Go Bombette!)

You know what else stinks about being an overworked Sparky? I haven't been able to go to any of the annual "Party parties" that have been held since our return because I've always been booked on the dates that they've had them. I guess I _could_ always say no to my "clients", but I'm just not assertive like that. You see, I _like_ helping people out, I really do. I think sometimes they just forget that I have a life too. That's why I'm secretly glad that this one was announced by Bow so last-minute, because I'm _finally_ free to go to it... _but_ there's one small catch.

I don't have a date.

See, guys don't really tend to go for girls that hang out in lampshades or dangle from ceiling fans. And since I haven't seen any of the males that went on Mario's adventure in almost five years, it would seem weird for me to ask any of them. Plus, Bootler forbid the girls to ask the guys, and I don't wanna mess with Bootler. That guy gives me the creeps. They probably all have dates already anyway, and besides, most of them'll only remember me as the bratty binky-sucking toddler I was back then, not the mature seven-year-old woman I've grown to be.

Wanna know a secret? I used to have a _major_ crush on Goombario. Now that I think about it, I can't believe I didn't realize that he only had eyes for Bombette. I tried flirting with Kooper a couple of times to make him jealous, but I don't think either of them could understand a word I was saying through the pacifier and drool in my mouth anyway. (Huh, maybe that's why Goombaria and I never got along all that great...) Once I got over Goombario I thought I maybe had a shot with Parakarry, but alas, the chemistry between him and Lady Bow proved too strong for a baby Sparky like me to come between. And of course, Lakilester/Spike wasn't even an option at the time, not that I would've taken it anyway. He's way too cocky for my taste.

You know... maybe it's better for me and everyone else if I just don't go at all. I've already missed the past four parties, so what's one more gonna do? They probably won't even notice I'm not there. I'm sure someone out there needs my assistance, and besides, now that my adventure with Mario is over... being a light is all I'm ever really gonna be good for.


	5. Well, So Much for THAT Plan

**Ladies and gentlemen, the long-awaited fifth chapter of _Magic Kisses_. I apologize times a million and hope you all will forgive me for keeping you in the dark for so long, and I promise I'll never do anything like that to you ever again.**

***fingers crossed behind back***

**Well... what can I say, life is unpredictable somtimes. I can't make any promises, but _hopefully _this won't happen again. Anyway, enjoy lovelies! :)**

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><p>The more time I spend with Lakilester, the more I'm beginning to regret my decision to be his "partner in crime," as he calls it. I never really noticed it before, but the guy is (to put it gently) a complete and utter moron. Just how he survived our adventure with Mario without getting himself killed by doing something stupid in the process shall always remain a mystery to me.<p>

"So... _why_ are we in the desert again?" I ask for the umpteenth time as a searing gust of wind practically melts the skin off my face.

Lakilester looks at me as though I'm a toddler that just asked the most obvious question in the world. "Dude, I already explained this to you. We need privacy to plan our little scheme. What place is more private than Dry Dry Desert? Besides, I have the perfect hideout for us."

Too busy narrowly avoiding a charging Cleft disguised as a rock I had irritated by stepping on it, I decide to accept the skewed logic of Lakilester's reasoning without question. If this is the Star Spirits' punishment to me for stooping as low as consulting the Graffiti Board regulars for help, then so be it. If I die out here, at least it'll be out of my unrequited love for Bombette.

_Bombette..._ I haven't really thought about her since boarding the train to Mount Rugged, but now that I do, I feel a sort of aching in my heart. It's been a long time since I've last seen the pink Bob-omb, and I wonder how much had changed since then. She and Goombaria exchange letters often, but Goombario never lets me read them, saying that they're for her eyes only. I think she just enjoys the look of longing on my face whenever I see an envelope addressed to "The Goomba Residence" in Bombette's cute swirly handwriting.

To be honest, I'm terrified that Bombette will reject my request for her to be my date. She's always had a very independent spirit and doesn't like to feel "owned" by anyone, and she might interpret my invitation as me trying to stake some kind of claim on her. Even though we were close during the adventure, probably closer than any of Mario's other partners, I still felt as though she was holding me at arm's length (hypothetically of course). The one time I attempted to kiss her on the cheek during the victory celebration Princess Peach held after we finally defeated Bowser, Bombette "accidentally" lit her fuse and sent me flying into the fountain outside of Princess Peach's castle. Talk about your painful rejection.

Before I can dwell on this less-than-pleasant memory any longer, Lakilester shatters my reverie by announcing in an irritatingly triumphant voice, "Welp, we made it!"

I hadn't been paying much attention to where Count Jockula was taking us, but as I stop and gaze in awe at our surroundings, I have to give him credit.

He really is Mushroom Kingdom's biggest meathead.

We were standing inside one of the caves that are naturally carved into Mt. Rugged's cliffs. Apparently my partner-in-crime visits this place pretty reguarly, because plastered all over the walls and ceilings are pictures of... you guessed it, _Lakilester_. Pictures of him posing in mirrors (clearly self-taken), pictures of him and Mario during the victory celebration, pictures of him and his girlfriend cuddling and smooching, pictures of him looking like a kid in a candy shop as he shakes hands with famous wrestlers... there are even motivational workout posters with pictures of his head pasted over those of the male models. As if the outrageous decorations aren't bad enough, in every corner of the cave is some kind of workout machine with a schedule and "Daily Goals" chart next to it.

It's every wannabe Rawk Hawk's dream come true and every intelligent, self-respecting guy's nightmare.

Lakilester must take my jaw dropping to the floor to mean that I'm impressed, because he smiles and nods with a cocky grin on his face. "Yup, this is it: the ultimate man-cave. Pretty cool, huh? Ya know, I could do one of these up for _you_ if you'd like me to. I'll even let you borrow one of my bench presses. With a little work, you could go from scrawny to brawny in no time!"

He sounds like one of those cheesy infomercial guys. I stammer as I attempt to keep myself composed. "Er, that's okay, Lakilester..."

"Spike," he corrects, his eyes flashing behind the thin shades of his sunglasses.

"Right, sorry... Spike. Anyway, I think right now we should focus on the whole reason we came here, don't you?" I bite my lip and swallow the laughter rising in my throat. If one more idiotic thing comes out of his lips, I'm done for.

Thankfully, my partner-in-crime agrees with me. "Oh yeah, totally! Now, let's see..." He strokes his chin with his fingers for a moment, then snaps as though a dingy light bulb has just lit up inside the dark recesses of his mind. "I got it! The perfect chick-snatcher. Dude, I'm a frikkin' genius."

I cringe at the phrase "chick-snatcher." It makes it sound like, if I go along with whatever plan his bozo brain just cooked up for us, I'm just as much of a meathead as he is. "Okay then, tell me what you thought of."

"Picture this." Lakilester wraps his arm around me, nearly choking me with the oceans of cologne he must have bathed in that morning. "We hire Lord Bowser to be our chauffeur to the dance. That way, if our girls try to say no, all we have to do is open up the carriage door and BAM! instant change of heart. Brilliant, right?"

_Oh Eldstar help me._

I pause for several moments as my mind tries to process the words that just poured from my partner-in-crime's mouth.

"So..." I begin slowly (best not to talk too fast with this one, it might give him a headache.) "...what you're suggesting, Spike_,_ is that we _pay _Mushroom Kingdom's most dangerous, notorious villain... who, might I add, every single resident of the kingdom is forbidden to interact with, _including_ us... to come down from his castle which is located _millions_ of_ lightyears _away... to drive ourselves, Lakilulu, and Bombette to the dance which is held in honor of the fact that we _defeated _said villain_ as _a_ team_ four years ago... essentially _threatening_ our dates into going to the dance with us."

I wait a few minutes for this to sink in before I snap, "_THAT'S YOUR BRILLIANT PLAN__?"_

Lakilester frowns a little. "Well, uh... yeah, I guess that's what I'm sayin'," he replies, looking as though he's trying to interpret whether my reaction was a good one or a bad one. "Unless he'll do it for free of course."

Ten minutes later I'm sitting alone on the train back to Toad Town, violently shaking my head in an attempt to cleanse it of the stupidity it might have been infected with during the time I spent with the most dim-witted person on the planet.


	6. My Brother is an Idiot

**Okay, so I realize that this is really really short. However, I felt like I owed it to you guys to at least put _something _out there considering how long it's been since I last updated this story. I'm so, sosososososoSOOOOO sorry for making you wait so long and I know this isn't at all worth it, but reading through all your reviews inspired me to keep going with this story :) Thank you so much to all my faithful readers/reviewers and I promise you won't be disappointed with the next chapter!**

**-Butterfly**

**P.S. I just started a Paper Mario forum on here called Shooting Star Summit and I would absolutely love for you guys to participate in it. :D Go to my profile for the link!**

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><p><strong>Goombaria's POV<strong>

The last time I laughed this hard was the day Goombario asked me to measure him because he thought he had grown some since the last time, which was two months before. Turns out he had- about three-sixteenths of an inch.

After he went grumbling into his room, I overheard Goompa mutter something about how my father had done the same exact thing as a boy.

"Must be something about insecure Goombas going through puberty," he said with a sigh. "They think gaining one inch will increase their chances of winning over a princess, when we all know it's our natural-born charm and wit that gets the girls."

"Well," he said, reconsidering his last statement, "maybe your brother could do with a few more marks on the measuring stick."

Tears were pouring down my face and I had to cross my legs to keep from peeing myself as I rolled around on the floor, laughing my heart out like I never had before. It wasn't until my abs were throbbing and Mama panicked at the deep shade of blue my face had become and tried to give me CPR that I finally stopped, and even then I couldn't stop chuckling for almost an hour.

But this, _this_ is just too much.

"You... seriously... asked... for... help... from... _Lakilester_?!" I gasp between guffaws as Goombario glares at me. Clearly he hadn't expected this reaction to his story. He probably thought I would comfort or even sympathize with him over the trauma he had experienced on the little adventure he had taken while I was gone.

Sorry honey, but I don't pity stupidity.

"_Goombario,"_ I say, finally composed after what must have been half an hour after the words "I tried to get girl advice from Spike" left my brother's mouth. "Even _you_ of all people are smart enough to know that Lakilester is the last person anyone would _ever_ want to get advice from. Come on now, the guy's a complete and total toolbag!"

Kooper grunts his agreement, and I give him a quick peck on the cheek. My boyfriend confided in me a while ago that before our days of dating began he had been suspicious that I harbored feelings for the other party member of the same species, but after casually bringing him up in conversation one day and listening to me rant for almost an hour about how the said Koopa's brain must have been replaced with mashed potatoes when he was born, his fears quickly dissolved.

I shake my head at Goombario, who is now gazing at the floor with cherry-tinted cheeks. "I... I didn't know who else to ask," he whispered, clearly ashamed of his own desperation.

"Hell_o-o-o-o-o-o_?" I cry, playfully headbonking my brother and earning a reproachful glance in return. "Oh hi sir, my name's Goombaria, it's nice to meet you. So how long have _you_ been living here?"

My voice drips with sarcasm that he obviously isn't picking up on. "Huh? Goombaria, why are you acting so weird?"

I groan dramatically, and Kooper shoots my brother an apologetic glance. "Believe me bro, she confuses me sometimes too," he confesses as though I'm not even in the room.

"Dude, I know right?!"

I roll my eyes at the both of them. "Males are such imbeciles," I sigh, flouncing over to where a vase of flowers sit perkily on our kitchen table, basking in the glow of sunshine from the window above them. "If you want things done right, I suppose the only option is to do them yourself."

Goombario gives me a strange look. "What do _you_ know about girls, Aria?"

You're kidding me, right. "Oh nothing, nothing at all," I retort. "I've just done my fair share of research on the species and have come to some rather surprising conclusions, 's'all."

"Really?" Goombario says, a genuine look of interest on his face. "Like what?"

_Eldstar help me._


	7. I Didn't Mean to Do That

**Hello, hello, hello. I am your loving Count Olaf- just kidding, that guy's a creep. Anyway, I know it's been a while and you're probably all sick of my empty promises, but my tentative goal for this story is to update it every other Saturday from now on. *fingers crossed* Hope you enjoy this chapter that's somewhat longer than the past couple have been!**

**~Butterfly**

**P.S. Check out the Shooting Star Summit forum for even more Paper Mario awesomeness. (link is on my profile (: )**

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><p>Dear Journal,<p>

Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike Bruce? No?

Well, I really.

Really.

_REALLY._

DISLIKE BRUCE.

Seriously though, my fuse gets lit just thinking about what he did. Give me a second to cool off, I've already done enough damage to my home today as it is.

…

Okay, I'm back.

SO, here's how it went down. I decided to take a trip to Toad Town today to request that the post office hold off on delivering my mail next week since I'm traveling to LavaLava Island to do some excavation work inside of Mount LavaLava with the famed archeologist Kolorado. (The guy's a total dimwit, but he pays good money so I ain't complainin'.)

Anyway, while I was gone I left you lying half-open on the kitchen table, not thinking much of it.

SO LO AND BEHOLD, WHO DO I FIND SITTING AT MY KITCHEN TABLE WHEN I COME BACK, READING THROUGH MY JOURNAL ENTRIES LIKE THEY'RE THE CHAPTERS TO HIS FAVORITE BEDTIME STORY?!

And here's the best part: the guy didn't even have the decency to apologize or even try to cover up what he was doing when I walked in on him.

He turned around, looked me right in the eye, and asked (in a voice that he was trying to make gruff but ended up sounding like Bowser on the verge of tears):

"So, what's going on with you and this Goombario dude?"

I was so mad and so mortified at the same time that I completely blacked out. I vaguely remember the sound of screaming (whether it was mine or Bruce's I really can't say), and lights bursting before my eyes like fireworks. The next thing I knew, I was lying on the floor in a daze and Bruce was being rushed to the Toad Town Inn.

Although I can't say that I'm proud of what happened, I can't say I feel bad about it either. Let's be honest, that guy has had it coming to him since the first time he broke into my house in the middle of the night and started serenading me with Peach's Lullaby while I was sleeping. Besides, everyone else in the village was fed up with him too- I was just the first one with enough dynamite to actually do something about it. Even if it _was_ (kind of) by accident. Ish.

Well, this Bob-omb's off to get the first good night's sleep she's had since before the adventure with Mario (or the War of the Stars, as it's become known among the Mushroom Kingdom inhabitants.) Sweet dreams Journal, hope the padded safe I've decided to keep you in after today's incident is comfortable enough for you.

Hm… the more I relive it, the worse I feel about what happened. Maybe I'll send some anonymous flowers to the Inn tomorrow.

…Nah.

-Bombette

P.S. Ah yes. In my excitement over the day's events, I forgot to mention something else that occurred. On my way to the post office I bumped into my dear friend Parakarry, who was just finishing up his rounds for the day. (Let me tell you, I have _so_ much more respect for mailmen after hearing his horror stories.)

Anyway, Parry (Mario was actually the one to give him this nickname- "Parakarry" was just too much of a mouthful to say in the heat of battle) and I made small talk for a while, and somehow Bow's name came up.

Well, after blushing and stuttering for about five minutes after I asked him how the two of them were doing (accompanied by a wink and a meaningful nudge), Parry suddenly began babbling about Lady Bow's butler/guardian Bootler and how he was _so_ afraid to ask him for permission but he knew that if he didn't she wouldn't say yes and that would be even worse than invoking Bootler's wrath and what's a poor mailman to do and oh yes Bombette (with a wink and nudge of his own), has you-know-who asked you to accompany him yet?

When the blank look on my face made it clear that I had absolutely no freakin' clue what he was talking about, Parry blushed even harder than before and began stuttering again as he fumbled around for something in his mailbag. It went something like this:

"You mean… you haven't received the invitation yet? B-but that's impossible, I'm almost positive… well, not quite positive, but nearly ninety-four percent sure that I… oh Parakarry, you pathetic bumbling excuse for a postal worker! Nigel's going to get that promotion for sure, and then all the hard work you've done for the past ten years will have been for naught…"

I thought the poor guy was going to have a nervous breakdown if he kept stressing out this way and using phrases like "for naught," so I did my best to calm him down.

"Easy there Parakarry… that's it, deep breaths… _there_ ya go. Whatever it is you dropped or lost or whatever, it's honestly no biggie. So what was I invited to?"

And then he proceeded to tell me that Bow had taken it upon herself to invite all of the partners to a birthday dance thinly disguised as a reunion and that it was mandatory for the males to ask the females and that was the reason he was freaking out in the first place and sometimes he has nightmares where Bootler has him backed into a dark corner and oh Eldstar what if Bow tries to kiss me and he sees and does it make sense that he's afraid of ghosts even though he's in love with one and oh yeah the dance is tomorrow night.

I don't remember much else after that; partly because I think my explosion caused temporary amnesia, but mostly because all I could think about was the fact that I was invited to a dance.

A dance which was happening tomorrow.

A dance which, as of right now, I still do not have a date for.

And I'm not really sure how I feel about that.


End file.
